NDA crossbow article, draw your own conclusions

[Fishbonker]

Copy and paste from a link on NDA.

Hunters are increasingly turning to crossbows as their equipment of choice for Wisconsin's bow deer hunting seasons, according to 2015 license sales information from the Department of Natural Resources.

Through the first weekend of the season, crossbow license sales accounted for 32% of bow licenses sold, up from 26% at the same time last year, according to data released Tuesday.

The data also reveal a troubling statistic for the agency: total bow license sales of 132,897 were 4% lower than at the same time in 2014. Deer hunting license sales are the biggest source of hunting program revenue for the DNR.

The report showed 42,245 total crossbow licenses sold through last Sunday, up 16% from the same time in 2014, and 90,652 total archery licenses sold, down 11%. The archery licenses are for users of vertical bows, including compounds, recurves and stick bows.

Starting with the 2014 Wisconsin hunting season, all legally licensed hunters could use a crossbow to hunt deer.

Before last fall, crossbows could only be used to hunt deer by people age 65 and over and those with disabilities.

A 2013 state law created a Wisconsin crossbow license and crossbow season. The crossbow season runs concurrent with the archery season.
The law also created "upgrades" that allow a hunter the option of using both types of bows. Through Sunday, 8,347 crossbow upgrades and 2,746 archery upgrades were purchased. Both figures include sales to residents and nonresidents.

The trend toward increasing crossbow use was expected by most hunters, wildlife managers and industry observers.

In Michigan, for example, crossbow use went from 19% of archers in 2009 (the first year the equipment was legal for all hunters) to 37% in 2011 to 49% in 2013.

The Wisconsin license sales figures will change through the coming weeks and likely increase in all categories.

While crossbows are popular with an increasing number of hunters, the data raise doubts whether expanded crossbow opportunities can result in a net positive to hunter recruitment and retention in Wisconsin.

Crossbow proponents had touted the equipment as a tool to help shore up declines in hunter participation.

Last year, 47,449 hunters purchased crossbow authority for the full season.

As a formatting note, copy and paste did not include paragraph breaks so I tried to add them where appropriate.

 

[JNRBRONC]

I'd never associate with a crossbow hunter!

 

[IowaBuckSlayer2013]

I'd never associate with a crossbow hunter!

That's the problem.... Everyone has their own opinion. If joe doe wants to hunt with crossbow so be it.... I don't care either way as some day I may need to. Was out this morning and seen two guys both with crossbow. It's going to be a trend soon. Like it or hate it there is nothing any of us can do if it's bringing revenue to the state.

 

[JNRBRONC]

That's the problem.... Everyone has their own opinion. If joe doe wants to hunt with crossbow so be it.... I don't care either way as some day I may need to. Was out this morning and seen two guys both with crossbow. It's going to be a trend soon. Like it or hate it there is nothing any of us can do if it's bringing revenue to the state.

Easy there, IBS, don't jump to conclusions.

Maybe the OP is a crossbow hunter and a friend of mine.

 

[Fishbonker]

everybody has an opinion. that's a good thing.

jnr who?

 

[loneranger]

Yea,,We have beat this Horse before. We better let the poor thing die in Peace.....

 

[Fishbonker]

Yea,,We have beat this Horse before. We better let the poor thing die in Peace.....

that's why I said draw your on conclusions

 

[loneranger]

Right!!! I like that little pun there though--DRAW,,Your own conclusions...

 

[Fishbonker]

I'd never associate with a crossbow hunter!

Some of you remember JRNBRONC when he was on my Prostaff. He went by the name "Rocket" because he is an actual scientist. One day he was field testing one of my products called the "Bonker Blocker". It was several layers of tinfoil worn on your head to block brainwaves from escaping and larger deer couldn't then pick up the brain waves with their large antler receptors.

He was testing the Bonker Blocker with several extra layers of tin foil because being a bona fide scientist he puts out way more brain waves than the rest of us mere mortals. One day he was crossing a ridge under beautiful cloudless blue skys. He was wearing his extra layers of Bonker Blocker when a random bolt of lightning came out of no where and hit him square on the Bonker Blocker. His Bonker Blocker had made him the perfect lightning rod.

He got zapped by like a gazillion volts. He was ahhh, a little slow after that, if you know what I mean.

Unfortunately that was the same year that I ruined my shoulder. He invited me out to hunt his place during archery season and I showed up with my crossbow. He said "What the hell is that?" as he pointed to my crossbow. I said "Don't worry about it Rocket, it's archery equipment." "Uhhhh OK Bonker if you says so".

So a couple of years pass he is regaining some of his vast mental powers but my shoulder isn't any better and my Docs said that's the best it is ever going to be.

It was hunting season again. I showed up out at his place with my crossbow. He looked at my crossbow and he looked at me and he looked at my crossbow and he looked at me and he said "Ya know Bonker, I think you been fibbin to me the past few years. That there shoulder mounted, arm stabilized, fixed trigger with a cocking mechanism, optically enhanced thing youra carryin looks a heap more like a gun than archery equipment.

Well, now I felt shame that I had fooled the less fortunate into believing a crossbow was actually archery equipment but then I was glad that Rocket had gotten his senses back enough to recognize the difference.

As for the Bonker Blocker, the warning the lawyers from the firm of Chatem, Cheatum and Run insisted I put on the product packaging would have made it unsellable to 99% of hunters. The warning was to be in 24 font, red in color with skull and crossbones that read: THIS PRODUCT WILL KILL YOU. I was still going to bank on the 1% of deer hunters that will sacrifice everything they have, even their life, to kill the next world record buck. But then the price point would have cut that 1% down to about .001%. To cover the cost of liability insurance I had to have a price tag of $1.3 million per unit. I was going to do it, but then I thought anybody stupid enough to buy the Bonker Blocker at that price isn't putting out any brain waves anyway so he really didn't need a Bonker Blocker.

 

[Sligh1]

Oh- this horse is very much alive and he'll be coming back for a rampage in our future.
I dread the SAD day we are going to have to fight off the special interests that are chomping at the bit to run crossbows all season long. Seniors, disabled and late season is not enough and we have too many with $ interests that r gonna push it.

I will concretely state and argue & will respectfully explain my point of view.... U cannot make the case and the argument cannot be won that it overall: creates more opportunities, is good for our resource, will allow more access for more hunters and in the long run create more revenue. I firmly believe every single one of those arguments can easily be destroyed and I'm fine with explaining in detail. Because those arguments cannot be won- the crossbow lobby, manufacturers and special interests are going to pour a lot of $, lobbying and persuading otherwise behind the scenes with our politicians. The uninformed, knee jerk citizen may not see through the facts but I hope most do. Sad day for iowa and our resource if we change our fragile seasons and regulations.

 

[Oct-Lull]

What bugs me is the attitude that it can't be stopped. The " oh well its going to happen no matter what" to hell with that. That's the kind of crap Barry and Hillary want from the people of this country. I doubt any of us would be enjoying many things in life of the generations before us just gave in to what seemed inevitable. Should never be afraid to voice your opinion, even if it chaps someone's *ss. I hope groups like the IBA are opposed to the spread if this virus, I mean an able bodied person can shoot one with just one hand! They have a place, lets leave them there.

 

[loneranger]

The poor horse ,theres nothing left of him....Don't say Im using a virus though?

 

[Sligh1]

What bugs me is the attitude that it can't be stopped. The " oh well its going to happen no matter what" to hell with that. That's the kind of crap Barry and Hillary want from the people of this country. I doubt any of us would be enjoying many things in life of the generations before us just gave in to what seemed inevitable. Should never be afraid to voice your opinion, even if it chaps someone's *ss. I hope groups like the IBA are opposed to the spread if this virus, I mean an able bodied person can shoot one with just one hand! They have a place, lets leave them there.

BINGO!!!
Loneranger- I hope and pray we can finally turn this horse into GLUE!!!!!!! If this dead horse were brought to the Glue factory- be a huge victory in DEFENSE of iowa!!!
(Which is yet another crappy thing about politicians & special interests- we always have to play DEFENSE!!! Those clowns rarely work the other way). WE NEED GLUE!!!! Politicians may be sniffing too much glue but we happily should turn this horse into it!

 

[IowaBuckSlayer2013]

BINGO!!!
Loneranger- I hope and pray we can finally turn this horse into GLUE!!!!!!! If this dead horse were brought to the Glue factory- be a huge victory in DEFENSE of iowa!!!
(Which is yet another crappy thing about politicians & special interests- we always have to play DEFENSE!!! Those clowns rarely work the other way). WE NEED GLUE!!!! Politicians may be sniffing too much glue but we happily should turn this horse into it!

I spoke to a CO today about this and he said quote

"I support whatever brings revenue into our system so we can purchase more land to open as public access. He states without the much needed revenue from license and tag purchases it would be impossible to acquire new land...."

So with that being said who's for and against this?

 

[loneranger]

I see there is still a flicker of light in the horses eye.May be about only $$$ to the DNR. Doesn't mean that to me. You can talk about what is too easy,,or unethical. Everyone has an opinion. All I know is with any type of bow,,,you have to get close. My eyes are no good beyond 25 yrds,even with optical help. You have to get close to your animal. You have to be very careful of movement. You have to be careful of scent. You only have one shot. It takes patience in all kinds of weather. I don't sit in a shed. I stay on the ground. I am not 25 ft up a tree. This kind of hunting,,with a bow,,is nothing like Firearm hunting. No walking groups pushing twards waiting standers. No 200 yrd shots with scopes. It is bow hunting.

 

[Oct-Lull]

If I were willing to change my views for financial gain I would be a politician.

 

[Fishbonker]

I spoke to a CO today about this and he said quote

"I support whatever brings revenue into our system so we can purchase more land to open as public access. He states without the much needed revenue from license and tag purchases it would be impossible to acquire new land...."

So with that being said who's for and against this?

There was a bill this year that would prohibit the DNR from purchasing any more recreational land.

Doesn't matter if more licenses are sold (which MI and WI have proven doesn't happen it just shifts licenses from one method to another) I feel the Governor doesn't want the state to buy any more land that would come out of production.

I'll see if I can come up with the bill #.

 

[Sligh1]

I spoke to a CO today about this and he said quote

"I support whatever brings revenue into our system so we can purchase more land to open as public access. He states without the much needed revenue from license and tag purchases it would be impossible to acquire new land...."

So with that being said who's for and against this?

Anecdotal stories, MONEY, Special Interests and folks who don't take time to learn the full ramifications of a huge regulation change - that's the ONLY way this passes. Unfortunately, with Farm Bureau, POLITICIANS, folks with $ to gain, Crossbow companies - we got some big forces to deal with.

With the CO's story... Let's talk about "ACCESS".... more public land. Really, how much more would we get if we added crossbow sales? 100 acres over the WHOLE STATE? Maybe. Until tag sales declined (happy to explain that one). THEN, all the private land, ACCESS is further degraded and hurt. Access on private isn't tough enough already?!?!?! SO, MR. CO - if access is the issue "how can anyone be for this". I will happily give a full, thought out explanation why "ACCESS" will be greatly degraded if this happens. Access for hunting land isn't hard enough as it is?!?!?!? Bonker is right on buying more land. Even a few hundred more public acres will do NOTHING while the rest of the state gets pummeled with more pressure it can't handle now (go try and get permission on farms people, EASY???). CO's opinion, with all due respect, is knee jerk, short sighted and completely misguided.

LR - no one is trying to take your crossbow. You earned it. Same with my nephew. Heck, same as when I shattered my arm and broke my back. No one is taking this from you or proposing it!!! Good luck to you with your crossbow and I hope you shoot a mammoth!

 

[Oct-Lull]

I see there is still a flicker of light in the horses eye.May be about only $$$ to the DNR. Doesn't mean that to me. You can talk about what is too easy,,or unethical. Everyone has an opinion. All I know is with any type of bow,,,you have to get close. My eyes are no good beyond 25 yrds,even with optical help. You have to get close to your animal. You have to be very careful of movement. You have to be careful of scent. You only have one shot. It takes patience in all kinds of weather. I don't sit in a shed. I stay on the ground. I am not 25 ft up a tree. This kind of hunting,,with a bow,,is nothing like Firearm hunting. No walking groups pushing twards waiting standers. No 200 yrd shots with scopes. It is bow hunting.

I respect your strong feelings even if we are never going to agree. But I am curious, if you were sitting with your back to a tree with a crossbow vs any type of traditional bow, don't you think getting a shot off on a deer would be easier with a crossbow? I mean you could sit with it in your shoulder on a rest, ready to shoot. A bow you would need to draw back and fire. I don't think it's the same, range aside. My .54 Hawken could be described like you did with a crossbow, should that be allowed? Where does it stop. Just because it can be done, should it? crossbow - a device enabling a bowstring to be tensed well in advance of the shot being made, so that the archer is in effect carrying a loaded weapon.*

 

[iabwhntr]

My unsolicited opinion is that all the arguments against the use of crossbows were probably used against the modern compound by "real" archers who used trad gear. Look how compounds have ruined the deer herd and the sport of bow hunting in Iowa.